Slow Cooked Bolognese Pasta Bake

I have to admit, I’ve always had a soft spot for pasta bakes. Like my Tuna Mornay Bake, this bolognese pasta bake is the serious comfort food—rich, filling, and a big batch can last for days! My kind of recipe! Slow-cooked in a Dutch oven, letting the flavors meld together, paired with rigatoni pasta and topped with bubbling mozzarella, it’s the kind of comfort food that makes everyone drool when it comes bubbling out of the oven. 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s a great way to sneak in extra veggies without anyone noticing! Feel free to load up with grated zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, and anything else you can think of!

This Bolognese pasta bake recipe is perfect for meal prepping. It keeps well in the fridge and even freezes beautifully, making it a perfect option for busy weeknights when all you have time for is a reheat in the oven and a green salad.

The whole family is going to love it! Think lasagne flavors but less effort. Winner winner pasta dinner!

Ingredients 

• Vegetables – brown onions, garlic cloves, carrot, celery, button mushrooms
  
  
• Meat –  beef mince, streaky bacon
  
  
• Pantry – tomato paste, beef stock, passata, olive oil, all purpose flour, sea salt flakes, freshly ground black pepper
  
  
• Herbs and Spices – porcini powder, dried oregano, bay leaf, fresh thyme
  
  
• Red wine
  
  
• Dairy – unsalted butter, full cream milk, vintage cheddar cheese, grana padano or reggiano parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese.

Substitutions and Variations

Sub Pork Mince for beef mince if that tickles your fancy! 

White wine can also be used instead of red wine, although you will get a slightly different result with the meat sauce.

Swap out your pasta shapes! Instead of rigatoni, try bow ties, penne, or even shells!

Instructions

Bolognese Sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F.
   
2. In a cast-iron French oven, add the oil to the pan. On a low heat, saute the onion until translucent.
   
3. Add the bacon and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
   
4. Add the minced beef to the pot. Cook on low-med heat until the mince is just cooked.
   
5. Add to the pot the remaining ingredients. Stir to fully combine and bring to simmer point. Pop the lid on the pot and put it in the preheated oven to slow cook for 2 hours. Once cooked, remove from the oven and set aside.
   
6. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions in a pot of water. Drain, and add the cooked pasta to the bolognese pasta sauce. Stir through to combine and pop aside.

Cheesy Bechamel Topping

1. On a low heat, melt the butter in a small saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the flour and stir to combine into a paste. Cook, stirring continuously, on low heat for 5 minutes.   This is needed to cook out the flour.
   
2. Add 1 cup of milk, continually stirring to allow the milk to incorporate into the flour mixture (or roux). At this stage, change from using your wooden spoon to stir to a whisk. It will make it much easier to get a smooth, creamy sauce.  Gradually add the remaining milk a little at a time, stirring continuously until the mixture resembles a thick, creamy sauce. A bechamel sauce can take a lot of liquid, so don’t be afraid if it looks really runny. Cooking the sauce will cause it to thicken. If it thickens too much, just add more milk.
   
3. Add the grated cheeses and stir through to melt them into the sauce.
   
4. Season with sea salt flakes and freshly ground pepper.

To Assemble

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C /392°F.
   
2. Pop the pasta bolognese into a large baking dish and make sure the pasta is roughly in an even layer.
   
3. Pour the bechamel sauce evenly over the top of the pasta sauce.
   
4. Top with grated mozzarella and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
   
5. Remove from the oven and eat!

Equipment

We’re slow-cooking the bolognese sauce in an enamel cast iron Dutch oven – they make the most delicious rich pasta sauces after slow-cooking for a few hours. Personally, it’s the only way to slow-cook a pasta sauce for me! I use my 24cm Le Creuset casserole. A medium pot for cooking pasta is essential, as is a large ovenproof baking dish to bake the pasta bake in. 

You’ll also need a cook’s knife, garlic press, chopping board, as well as measuring spoons and cups.

Let’s serve it up!

Bolognese Pasta Bake is a meal in itself, but let’s round it out a bit…

A fresh side salad: A crisp green salad with a simple vinaigrette will help balance out the richness of the pasta bake and get in some greens!.

Garlic bread: Who can resist a warm, buttery piece of garlic bread alongside pasta? Not me, that’s for sure! It’s the perfect accompaniment! Want to go a little more homemade? Try this easy focaccia recipe instead.

Roasted vegetables: Add some roasted vegetables like zucchini, sweet potato, or roasted cherry tomatoes for extra flavor.

FAQ’s

Storage

Store any leftovers in the fridge covered with plastic wrap or a silicone lid for up to three days. To reheat, either microwave on a plate covered with plastic wrap for 90 seconds or cover with foil (after removing any plastic wrap) and pop back into the oven at 150°C until warmed through.

A few more recipes you might like…

• Chicken Boscaiola
• Dutch Oven Beef Stroganoff
• Slow Cooked Pork Bolognese
• Slow-Cooked Beef Ragu

Happy cooking!

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